Ducks won’t be big spenders as NHL free agency opens

ANAHEIM –- Ducks general manager Bob Murray spent a good part of Thursday watching his most recent draft picks and top young prospects scrimmage during the team's conditioning camp, but there was plenty else on his mind.

As free agency opens Friday, Murray certainly has fixing a nonexistent third line on his to-do list, but he's not looking to join in the spending spree that has taken over the NHL.

"I think we'll check a few things out," he said. "There's a few parts out there that could be OK for that role. I've got to see what money I can get and (other) things. We're not going to blow our brains out, that's for sure."

The Ducks have a clear need to upgrade a third line that resembled a season-long game of musical chairs. Rookie Brandon McMillan was the only player who delivered any sense of consistency in terms of production and performance.

The cadre of bottom-six forwards will need to be addressed as the club won't re-sign forwards Jarkko Ruutu and Brad Winchester or defenseman Andreas Lilja. Murray said he will be on the patrol for centers and wingers on the free-agent market.

"We've got a list in both places," he said.

The list won't include Brad Richards, the prize of this year's class, but among the forwards that could fit in the Ducks' budget are Nashville's Joel Ward, Columbus' Scottie Upshall, Minnesota's Antti Miettinen, Boston's Michael Ryder and the Kings' Michal Handzus.

Other grinding types still available are Pittsburgh's Tyler Kennedy, Minnesota's John Madden, Florida's Marty Reasoner, Phoenix's Vernon Fiddler and Buffalo's Rob Niedermayer, who played with the Ducks from 2003-09.

What could throw a wrench into the Ducks' free-agent plans are the increasing salaries being given to third-tier support players spurred by cost-conscious teams needing to get to the new salary cap floor of $48.3 million.

For instance, Florida signed forward Tomas Kopecky to a four-year, $12 million deal after he put up career bests of 15 goals and 42 points last season with Chicago. When asked if he's concerned about the spike in salaries, Murray said, "a tad concerned is mild."

Added Murray: "There's some decent players, yes. But decent players at what price? We've been in a jam before money-wise. We're not going to go do it again. We'll see how it goes. If nothing happens, we'll look to add through trade down the road a bit."

While the new cap ceiling is at $64.3 million, Murray said he received a payroll for 2011-12 from owner Henry Samueli that will settle around $56 million. The Ducks already have nearly $50 million committed for next season.

The top line of Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf eats up around $16 million, and defensemen Lubomir Visnovsky, Toni Lydman and Francois Beauchemin combine for another $11 million. Ailing goalie Jonas Hiller will make $4.5 million.

And they will need to set aside a few bucks for Teemu Selanne if his left knee checks out. In other words, the Ducks don't have a lot more to spend based on the internal budget laid out by Samueli.

In other words, the Ducks don't have a lot more to spend based on the internal budget laid out by Samueli.

"We're going to be very close to the midpoint," Murray said. "That's his philosophy right now. Our organization is much below the midpoint in revenues (within the league), but he still believes enough that we can spend to the midpoint."

Murray did offer up one small ray of hope Thursday as he heard from Hiller, who is in his native Switzerland hoping that extended rest will be a cure for the vertigo symptoms that wrecked the second half of his season.